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Newspaper of the University of Southern California
Headlines
Diversions, page 12
The big silver screen debate
Guest editorial columnist Nicholas Gleiter complains of Republican presidential-hopeful Bob Dole's comments regarding motion-picture violence, saying they are hypro-critical and self-serving.
Viewpoint, page 4
Last issue of Summer Trojan
This is the last issue of the Summer Trojan. The Orientation Issue of the Daily Trajan will be published on August 24 for Welcome Week. Daily publication will resume on August 31.
Enjoy the rest of your summer and wish for more thunderstorms.
• • •
The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation has received reports from City residents that a local company known as 4B Marketing sells their services to mark addresses on City-issued trash and yard trimmings containers, claiming that the City will impose fines if these containers are not properly marked. The City of Los
(See FYI, page 2)
Honey, I’m running a little late
, Jonathan S. Fox/Summer Trojan
Starving artist Jordan Crane desperately tries to explain to his date why he won’t be on time after an untimely run-in with the phone kiosk.
Wednesday July 19, 1995 Vol. CXXV, No. 10
Little substance in ‘Jeffrey’s’ plot
Steven Weber stars in the silver screen adaptation of Paul Rudnick's New York comedy "Jeffrey." Bryan Batt, Patrick Stewart (of Star Trek fame) and Michael Weiss costar in the comedic tale of four gay men and their tribulations in the big city.
While the show won numerous Obies in the theatre, the movie fails to live up to its predecessor's success.
Renovation disturbs residents
Petitioners at Webb say construction was not announced
By April Haitsuka
City Editor
New safety renovations may make university housing a safer place to live in the future, but many current Webb Tower residents claim the work on their building has been creating untolerable living conditions.
Residents were not notified of the renovations which began last week, said David Oomens, a senior in the entrepreneur program who is living in Webb Tower over the summer.
Workers began tearing up the ceilings to install a sprinkler system last week. A petition, (See Webb, page 2)
Row improvements to be
By Trevor Kaufman
Staff Writer
The deconstruction phase of the 28th Street Improvement Project has been completed, as is witnessed by the torn-up sidewalks on the Row, and the project is expected to be finished on schedule, said Ken Taylor, director of the Office for Residential and Greek Life.
The project, co-sponsored by the governing bodies of the Greek system, the Inter-Fraternity Council and Panhellenic, in conjunction with the university and the city of Los Angeles, is designed to improve the living conditions for the more than 3,000 students housed on the Row and its surrounding area.
"We are working to improve the aesthetics and safety of the Row to improve not only the quality of life for those already living
here, but to help in the recruitment and retention of the Greek system and of the university as a whole," said Blake Brewer, IFC vice president of Rush.
"Students will appreciate the heightened security, and local businesses will benefit as well."
Included in the plan is the renovation of the streets, sidewalks, alleys and curbs on 28th Street, Severance Avenue, and Portland Avenue, better lighting, installation of additional emergency blue-light telephones, new seeding for grass and trees, and the installation of handicap ramps.
Contractors expect renovations will be finished by August 27, and the First Annual Greek Carnival is scheduled to take place on 28th Street on August 29.
The project was brought to life by the Greek governing councils who, citing a lack of commitment from the city to improve the
completed
conditions of the area, decided to front the money for renovations themselves.
"If we hadn't thrown out the money, nothing would have happened," said Taylor.
"We weren't slated for this work for another ten years."
The city did decide to join the project and allow the university to utilize city contractors, which will help to keep costs down, said Brewer. The university will contribute about one-third of the $522,000 needed, while IFC and Panhellenic will cover the rest of the cost by taxing its member fraternities and sororities,
"This is a big step towards better cooperation between the Greek system and the university, and also between the university and the city," said Brewer.
"To my knowledge, this is the only partnership of its kind across the country," said Taylor.
Councilman addresses community issues
Alumnus Ridley-Thomas credits USC as part of his success
By Tom Hogen-Esch
Staff Writer
The story of 1989 USC graduate Mark Ridley-Thomas is not your typical "local boy makes good" fare.
Relying on his intellect rather than his jump-shot, the 1972 graduate of Manual Arts High School earned both a bachelor's and master's degree from Immaculate Heart College, before enrolling in a Ph.D. program in USC's school of religion in the fall of 1980.
Ridley-Thomas, who happens to be the Los Angeles city council representative from the Eighth District, credits his work at USC as part of his success.
"In terms of understanding public policy and engaging issues from an analytical viewpoint, my experience at USC
was a big help," Ridley-Thomas said in an interview Monday at city hall. "It was certainly time well spent."
While working on his doctorate, Ridley-Thomas also served as executive director of the Los Angeles branch of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference — a group advocating African-American political empowerment — a position which propelled him into the political limelight.
Professor H. Eric Schockman, an urban politics specialist in the political science department, said Ridley-Thomas has emerged as a leading progressive voice in Los Angeles. "He is an enlightened, well-guided politician who has made a substantial contribution to the city. He, of course, has a great
understanding^ the community he represents and the need for building coalitions."
Since his election in 1991, followed by his re-election to a second term in April (with 89 percent of the vote), Ridley-Thomas says he has been working to make the lives of his 230,000 constituents better. To this end, Ridley-Thomas, whose personal style is distinctly straightforward and erudite, created a community-based political apparatus which allows his constituents — 63 percent African-American, 31 percent Latino and 4 percent white — to address issues of public concern.
Although Ridley Thomas credits USC — the city's largest private employer — for offering job opportunities in the eco-
Courtesy of Calvin Nalto
Mark Ridley-Thomas
nnmically depressed surrounding community, he left no doubt as to whether there was room for improvement.
"It's not only a question of (See Thomas, page 9)

Newspaper of the University of Southern California
Headlines
Diversions, page 12
The big silver screen debate
Guest editorial columnist Nicholas Gleiter complains of Republican presidential-hopeful Bob Dole's comments regarding motion-picture violence, saying they are hypro-critical and self-serving.
Viewpoint, page 4
Last issue of Summer Trojan
This is the last issue of the Summer Trojan. The Orientation Issue of the Daily Trajan will be published on August 24 for Welcome Week. Daily publication will resume on August 31.
Enjoy the rest of your summer and wish for more thunderstorms.
• • •
The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation has received reports from City residents that a local company known as 4B Marketing sells their services to mark addresses on City-issued trash and yard trimmings containers, claiming that the City will impose fines if these containers are not properly marked. The City of Los
(See FYI, page 2)
Honey, I’m running a little late
, Jonathan S. Fox/Summer Trojan
Starving artist Jordan Crane desperately tries to explain to his date why he won’t be on time after an untimely run-in with the phone kiosk.
Wednesday July 19, 1995 Vol. CXXV, No. 10
Little substance in ‘Jeffrey’s’ plot
Steven Weber stars in the silver screen adaptation of Paul Rudnick's New York comedy "Jeffrey." Bryan Batt, Patrick Stewart (of Star Trek fame) and Michael Weiss costar in the comedic tale of four gay men and their tribulations in the big city.
While the show won numerous Obies in the theatre, the movie fails to live up to its predecessor's success.
Renovation disturbs residents
Petitioners at Webb say construction was not announced
By April Haitsuka
City Editor
New safety renovations may make university housing a safer place to live in the future, but many current Webb Tower residents claim the work on their building has been creating untolerable living conditions.
Residents were not notified of the renovations which began last week, said David Oomens, a senior in the entrepreneur program who is living in Webb Tower over the summer.
Workers began tearing up the ceilings to install a sprinkler system last week. A petition, (See Webb, page 2)
Row improvements to be
By Trevor Kaufman
Staff Writer
The deconstruction phase of the 28th Street Improvement Project has been completed, as is witnessed by the torn-up sidewalks on the Row, and the project is expected to be finished on schedule, said Ken Taylor, director of the Office for Residential and Greek Life.
The project, co-sponsored by the governing bodies of the Greek system, the Inter-Fraternity Council and Panhellenic, in conjunction with the university and the city of Los Angeles, is designed to improve the living conditions for the more than 3,000 students housed on the Row and its surrounding area.
"We are working to improve the aesthetics and safety of the Row to improve not only the quality of life for those already living
here, but to help in the recruitment and retention of the Greek system and of the university as a whole," said Blake Brewer, IFC vice president of Rush.
"Students will appreciate the heightened security, and local businesses will benefit as well."
Included in the plan is the renovation of the streets, sidewalks, alleys and curbs on 28th Street, Severance Avenue, and Portland Avenue, better lighting, installation of additional emergency blue-light telephones, new seeding for grass and trees, and the installation of handicap ramps.
Contractors expect renovations will be finished by August 27, and the First Annual Greek Carnival is scheduled to take place on 28th Street on August 29.
The project was brought to life by the Greek governing councils who, citing a lack of commitment from the city to improve the
completed
conditions of the area, decided to front the money for renovations themselves.
"If we hadn't thrown out the money, nothing would have happened," said Taylor.
"We weren't slated for this work for another ten years."
The city did decide to join the project and allow the university to utilize city contractors, which will help to keep costs down, said Brewer. The university will contribute about one-third of the $522,000 needed, while IFC and Panhellenic will cover the rest of the cost by taxing its member fraternities and sororities,
"This is a big step towards better cooperation between the Greek system and the university, and also between the university and the city," said Brewer.
"To my knowledge, this is the only partnership of its kind across the country," said Taylor.
Councilman addresses community issues
Alumnus Ridley-Thomas credits USC as part of his success
By Tom Hogen-Esch
Staff Writer
The story of 1989 USC graduate Mark Ridley-Thomas is not your typical "local boy makes good" fare.
Relying on his intellect rather than his jump-shot, the 1972 graduate of Manual Arts High School earned both a bachelor's and master's degree from Immaculate Heart College, before enrolling in a Ph.D. program in USC's school of religion in the fall of 1980.
Ridley-Thomas, who happens to be the Los Angeles city council representative from the Eighth District, credits his work at USC as part of his success.
"In terms of understanding public policy and engaging issues from an analytical viewpoint, my experience at USC
was a big help," Ridley-Thomas said in an interview Monday at city hall. "It was certainly time well spent."
While working on his doctorate, Ridley-Thomas also served as executive director of the Los Angeles branch of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference — a group advocating African-American political empowerment — a position which propelled him into the political limelight.
Professor H. Eric Schockman, an urban politics specialist in the political science department, said Ridley-Thomas has emerged as a leading progressive voice in Los Angeles. "He is an enlightened, well-guided politician who has made a substantial contribution to the city. He, of course, has a great
understanding^ the community he represents and the need for building coalitions."
Since his election in 1991, followed by his re-election to a second term in April (with 89 percent of the vote), Ridley-Thomas says he has been working to make the lives of his 230,000 constituents better. To this end, Ridley-Thomas, whose personal style is distinctly straightforward and erudite, created a community-based political apparatus which allows his constituents — 63 percent African-American, 31 percent Latino and 4 percent white — to address issues of public concern.
Although Ridley Thomas credits USC — the city's largest private employer — for offering job opportunities in the eco-
Courtesy of Calvin Nalto
Mark Ridley-Thomas
nnmically depressed surrounding community, he left no doubt as to whether there was room for improvement.
"It's not only a question of (See Thomas, page 9)